1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of articles such as sporting accessories, tools, and similar items which include a handle portion, and more particularly relates to the provision of an automatic powder dispenser for depositing powder against the hand of the user of the item during the time that the hand is grasping the handle portion.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is a large variety of articles and devices which include a handle portion intended to be grasped by a hand when the article is in use. In many circumstances, perspiration from the user's hand will wet the surface of the handle portion and will interfere with the use of the article. A tennis racket, for example, includes a handle portion which must be firmly grasped by the user in order to exert maximum control over the racket. The normal use of a tennis racket will lead to perspiration from the user's hand being transferred onto the handle portion, and this will generally lead to a decrease in both comfort and control. A similar problem may frequently be encountered when using such other items as carpentry tools, medical instruments, steering wheels, and a wide variety of other articles which include handle portions.
In order to overcome the difficulties involved with the handle portion of an article becoming wet from perspiration during use, various approaches have been employed. Tennis rackets, for example, are frequently covered with a porous material in order to divert the perspiration from the surface of the handle, or with a terry cloth or other absorbent material in order to absorb a portion of the perspiration. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,614,100, issued to Spitz on Oct. 19, 1971, there is disclosed a removable sleeve for a racket handle which includes an absorbent, such as terry cloth, surrounding a tubular elastic liner which frictionally engages the handle. A variety of other special wrappings or sleeves have been advised and operate in a similar manner. These modifications, however, interfere with the natural feel of the handle.
A different approach which has proved successful to some degree is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,645,008, issued to Delsack on Feb. 29, 1972. The Delsack patent discloses the use of a pelletized desiccant held within a chamber located in the interior of the handle portion. A network of grooves and passageways serves to direct the perspiration inwardly to the desiccant by which it is adsorbed. The Delsack device, however, does not operate to dry the user's hand or the surface of the handle portion, but instead adsorbs that portion of the perspiration which manages to move inwardly from the handle surface.
Yet another approach is described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,563,352, issued to Fisher on Dec. 1, 1925. The Fisher device entails a chamber within a handle and an opening which communicates from the chamber to the exterior of the handle portion. A cap which normally covers the opening at the handle surface may be removed from the opening and a powder held within the chamber may be physically shaken out through the opening. The Fisher device, however, does not provide for the automatic dispensing of the powder from the chamber, but instead provides only a convenient receptacle for the powder.